By Udora Orizu
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Monday said the insecurity the country was facing was partly because the local governments were not functioning very well.
The Speaker who was represented by his Deputy, Idris Wase, stated this during the opening ceremony of the leadership masterclass training for Councillors in Etinam Federal Constituency in Abuja, organised by Hon. Onofiok Luke.
He said, “Part of the insecurity that we are having today is that the local government is not functioning very well. I think we started getting it wrong from 2003, when we took election of local government back to the states. For me I don’t believe that’s the right procedure. And if you want true democratic setting, they can do the nitty-gritty for what’s called an Assembly, checks and balances.
”I want to thank Hon. Luke Onofiok for the foresight in organizing this training and I believe it should be so for every leader who truly mean well for the country. If we truly want to represent the people of course its very important. I appeal to our own colleagues to adopt this model. This will help build Nigeria. Our business here is good governance, and that’s the capacity I want to see in you people, you should translate it to a greater Nigeria.”
On his part, Hon. Onfiok Luke, opined that only those who will demonstrate deliberate leadership will be winners in the next phase of Nigeria’s economy, occasioned by the second recession.
He said the leadership required to tackle the economic woes that would come with recession transcends politics.
He stated that the shocks and dislocation of the Global Financial Crisis were leading Nigerians and citizens of other countries into a post COVID-19 world of radical change on all fronts.
He said, ”Just three days ago, we were informed that we had just slide into our 2nd recession in just about 48months. These are indeed trying times for Nigeria, but overall, I believe the best of our years lie in our future. A future where the hope of our country will not be fed by the mineral resources buried under the ground but by the abundance of our human resources, explored optimally.
”On the leadership training, during my electoral campaign, I went around the wards which you represent in the legislature of the various Local Governments. I took cognizance of the important role all of you had to play in engaging with the people at the grassroots. It was for this purpose that I took it upon myself to offer an opportunity for a reorientation and mind education so that you can give back to your various communities what you have been impacted with. Today, this training is the manifestation of my earnest heart desire for these Honourable Councillors. It comes at a great cost for me, but I have taken satisfaction in the outcome and benefits available for you. I believe that you will emerge better leaders from this training.”
Also, the House Deputy Leader, Hon. Peter Akpataso,n tasked the councillors on true representation.
“I’m going to speak about representation. You’ve been elected by some people, if you look at your status very well, you are not the boss of the people that elected you, the boss is the people, who employed the representatives and we are their servants. We are called representatives because we represent the people. What’s the measurement of your achievement, the ability or extent to which you’re able to satisfy your masters and employers. And so I will advice very strongly to understand who those people are what you owe them, your responsibilities. When you start from that angle you will able to be a good representative, and able to properly represent your people,” he said
